Custom mini Canadian belt knife

[Jake Larsen]

I have never been satisfied with edge retention on either of the grohmans I have had. The KOA yukon was very good for edge retention but the grind was much thicker than I like.. a perfect copy of grohman in better steel with a full flat or hollow ground would be perfect.

You can order flat ground Grohman #1s direct from them. Still a little thicker steel than I’d prefer, but it’s better. I agree with you on the steel though. A thinner stock Magnacut, flat ground exact copy of a #1 might be as good as it gets.


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[CypressCreek]

Honestly guys, 20 pages into this thread and no one has bought a $100 Grohmann and just copied it exactly. Sometimes it doesn’t pay to try and build a better mouse trap. Just saying.

I just feel skeevy doing a direct copy. I also think there is likely room to improve somewhere... in my case the Grohmann is just a bit too big.

That being said, I do want to get one in hand just to get a feel for the blade/handle relationship. Perhaps the Cold Steel will suffice

 

[Jake Larsen]

I just feel skeevy doing a direct copy. I also think there is likely room to improve somewhere... in my case the Grohmann is just a bit too big.

That being said, I do want to get one in hand just to get a feel for the blade/handle relationship. Perhaps the Cold Steel will suffice

The Cold Steel has issues too. I just ordered another #1 a month ago. It shipped yesterday. It’s well worth getting the genuine article


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[ElPollo]

I've made a bunch of them, and found the same. In my case, I think it was that I was trying to improve the design. I eventually came to the conclusion that the design was just difficult to improve upon. At this point, all I can see to change is a slightly larger handle, like the Cold Steel or R. Murphy, and a thin, flat ground blade of pretty much any decent steel.

Totally agree. The major place for improvement is largely in material.

 

[SDHNTR]

Honestly guys, 20 pages into this thread and no one has bought a $100 Grohmann and just copied it exactly. Sometimes it doesn’t pay to try and build a better mouse trap. Just saying.

Because it’s far from perfect.

 

[Jake Larsen]

Because it’s far from perfect.

Im curious to hear about your experience that has lead to this conclusion? How many animals have you taken apart with a #1? What issues specifically have you had? I just can’t find a fault with them IMO. Except they’re a little ugly. But maybe you’re using your knife in a different way than I am? Not trying to be confrontational, I’m genuinely curious, since my experience has been so different

I’ve owned a dozen or so different custom and semi custom high end knives over the last few years, all marketed to be “the only hunting knife you’ll ever need.” In my experience, nothing comes anywhere close to a flat ground Grohman #1, even with its less than ideal steel. For gutless method field skinning and quartering work, it’s the best I’ve ever used, to the point where I’ve sold every other field knife I had. Mines done about 20 animals, and there’s not one thing I’d change about it except the steel.


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[Thegman]

Im curious to hear about your experience that has lead to this conclusion? How many animals have you taken apart with a #1? What issues specifically have you had? I just can’t find a fault with them IMO. Except they’re a little ugly. But maybe you’re using your knife in a different way than I am? Not trying to be confrontational, I’m genuinely curious, since my experience has been so different

I’ve owned a dozen or so different custom and semi custom high end knives over the last few years, all marketed to be “the only hunting knife you’ll ever need.” In my experience, nothing comes anywhere close to a flat ground Grohman #1, even with its less than ideal steel. For gutless method field skinning and quartering work, it’s the best I’ve ever used, to the point where I’ve sold every other field knife I had. Mines done about 20 animals, and there’s not one thing I’d change about it except the steel.


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One issue with your take on them: They're beautiful knives.

Once you've become accustomed to using them, the less a knife looks like a basic CBK, the uglier it is...

I pretty much scroll past any hunting knives that aren't CBK-based.

Other than thinking I want a slightly larger handle for my hands, I can't fault anything about the #1 design as a do-everything knife, especially not the blade size and shape.

 

[Jake Larsen]

One issue with your take on them: They're beautiful knives.

Once you've become accustomed to using them, the less a knife looks like a basic CBK, the uglier it is...

I pretty much scroll past any hunting knives that aren't CBK-based.

Other than thinking I want a slightly larger handle for my hands, I can't fault anything about the #1 design as a do-everything knife, especially not the blade size and shape.

I’ve also come to appreciate it haha. Kinda like the Rokstok for me. At first I thought it was ugly, then I realized its utility and started to see the beauty in that. Looked at both enough now that I don’t even notice what at first I didn’t care for.


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[Dixie]

Honestly guys, 20 pages into this thread and no one has bought a $100 Grohmann and just copied it exactly. Sometimes it doesn’t pay to try and build a better mouse trap. Just saying.

Did that awhile ago... likely my favorite.
I prefer a 4" Elk knife. This one on the right is ABE-l but made several out of Magnacut. Hopefully I can make one out of Magnacut when I get home to use this fall.

 

[Thegman]

Did that awhile ago... likely my favorite.
I prefer a 4" Elk knife. This one on the right is ABE-l but made several out of Magnacut. Hopefully I can make one out of Magnacut when I get home to use this fall. View attachment 1037192

And looks like you nailed it on this one.

https://rokslide.com/forums/attachments/1770235153849-png.1016298/

 

[Undrgrndprdcts]

I think that's what mine is as well.

 

[SDHNTR]

Im curious to hear about your experience that has lead to this conclusion? How many animals have you taken apart with a #1? What issues specifically have you had? I just can’t find a fault with them IMO. Except they’re a little ugly. But maybe you’re using your knife in a different way than I am? Not trying to be confrontational, I’m genuinely curious, since my experience has been so different

I’ve owned a dozen or so different custom and semi custom high end knives over the last few years, all marketed to be “the only hunting knife you’ll ever need.” In my experience, nothing comes anywhere close to a flat ground Grohman #1, even with its less than ideal steel. For gutless method field skinning and quartering work, it’s the best I’ve ever used, to the point where I’ve sold every other field knife I had. Mines done about 20 animals, and there’s not one thing I’d change about it except the steel.


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Don’t get me wrong, it’s better than most knife designs out there. I used mine for many years and took apart dozens of animals. I liked it, but I liked a simple Case pocket knife better. I like thin and trim blades. Aside from the frustrating steel, which is lousy but somewhat understandable at the price point, the blade is just too big. It doesn’t slide in between hide and meat/bone as easily as it could. The grind (whatever their standard grind is called) and blade thickness also doesn’t allow it to slice as efficiently as it could. It’s also heavier than needed and not as deft in the hand.

Shrink the dimensions of the blade down a bit, give it a flat grind and thinner blade, with better quality steel, and you have a winner. You also have SlalomNorth’s version shown here.

I did always want to try a Grohman #2 with a flat grind, but the crappy steel just kept me from spending the money.

 

[SDHNTR]

delete dup post

 

[CypressCreek]

Im curious to hear about your experience that has lead to this conclusion? How many animals have you taken apart with a #1? What issues specifically have you had? I just can’t find a fault with them IMO. Except they’re a little ugly. But maybe you’re using your knife in a different way than I am? Not trying to be confrontational, I’m genuinely curious, since my experience has been so different

I’ve owned a dozen or so different custom and semi custom high end knives over the last few years, all marketed to be “the only hunting knife you’ll ever need.” In my experience, nothing comes anywhere close to a flat ground Grohman #1, even with its less than ideal steel. For gutless method field skinning and quartering work, it’s the best I’ve ever used, to the point where I’ve sold every other field knife I had. Mines done about 20 animals, and there’s not one thing I’d change about it except the steel.


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How are the handles contoured on the #1? I think they are blocky based on photos I've seen but I can't say that with certainty. Assuming my assumption is correct, I would say well contoured handles would be an improvement... though I don't know if I'd call that a "design" improvenent.

 

[CypressCreek]

Also, I'm shocked at how much love the CBK gets here. It is basically an unknown pattern everywhere on the internet as far as i can tell

 

[cubdriver84d]

Picked up a cold steel just because. Here it is with my yardbird and 3” belt knife from @Slalomnorth.

 

[Jake Larsen]

How are the handles contoured on the #1? I think they are blocky based on photos I've seen but I can't say that with certainty. Assuming my assumption is correct, I would say well contoured handles would be an improvement... though I don't know if I'd call that a "design" improvenent.

Handle shape is excellent, but that’s one thing I forgot to mention earlier. The scales could be a little thinner for my hand. If I was going to have a custom made, I’d do the exact pattern of a #1 with thinner stock Magnacut steel, flat grind, and slightly thinner more rounded scales. The handle looks weird, like it would be uncomfortable but it’s not. And works equally well in blade-up grip, which is very important.


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[Jake Larsen]

Also, I'm shocked at how much love the CBK gets here. It is basically an unknown pattern everywhere on the internet as far as i can tell

Makes sense once you realize how it was developed. It’s not a knife that was drawn up to look good. It was a process of trial and error by professionals who were function-first people. The Canadian skinner/trappers were the real deal in terms of outdoorsmen


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[ckt3]

Also, I'm shocked at how much love the CBK gets here. It is basically an unknown pattern everywhere on the internet as far as i can tell

I thought the same thing when I joined Rokslide recently. But I also felt the same way about the Rokstok. Then I realized why people liked them and the looks started to grow on me too.

 

[Jake Larsen]

Don’t get me wrong, it’s better than most knife designs out there. I used mine for many years and took apart dozens of animals. I liked it, but I liked a simple Case pocket knife better. I like thin and trim blades. Aside from the frustrating steel, which is lousy but somewhat understandable at the price point, the blade is just too big. It doesn’t slide in between hide and meat/bone as easily as it could. The grind (whatever their standard grind is called) and blade thickness also doesn’t allow it to slice as efficiently as it could. It’s also heavier than needed and not as deft in the hand.

Shrink the dimensions of the blade down a bit, give it a flat grind and thinner blade, with better quality steel, and you have a winner. You also have SlalomNorth’s version shown here.

I did always want to try a Grohman #2 with a flat grind, but the crappy steel just kept me from spending the money.

Most of the issues you mentioned are fixed with the flat grind version. I agree it could have thinner steel also, but not really an issue of function with the flat grind, more an issue of weight. A lighter knife in the hand is great. The steel quality is the biggest issue for sure.

A flat ground Grohman #2 looks very similar to SlalomNorth’s versions. It’s basically what you described… a slimmer version of the #1, favoring slightly away from the leaf shaped blade. However IMO, it’s the handle/blade angle relationship in combination with the leaf shaped blade that makes the OG so awesome. Unzips hide like no other…and has plenty enough point for deboning IME. It’s like the best combo of deboning knife and skinning knife, without giving up much in either direction. The blade length is also great. for deer sized game, it could be a little smaller, but for elk that little extra length is really nice. Also I think it works in conjunction with the leaf shape to create the unzipping function, where a shorter blade length could get hung up. Again, this is IME.


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